Printer inking device



Feb. 11, 1964 w. N. BESENICK PRINTER INKING DEVICE Filed May 4, 1962 INVENTOR. W/LL/AM N. BESE/V/CK.

United States Patent 3,120,804 PRINTER INKING DEVICE Wiliiam N. Besenick, Dexter, Mich., assignor to Burroughs Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed May 4, 1962, Ser. No. 192,527 2 Claims. (Cl. 101--364) This invention relates generally to applicators and particularly to ink applicators.

As is well known, so-called disposable ink capsule type applicators have an ink container, an ink applicating wick projecting therefrom, and an air vent to facilitate capillary action at the wick. Probably the principal problem encountered in the manufacture of these devices concerns the sealing of the wick and vent against leakage in shipment and storage, and yet make such devices readily operational. It is known, for example, that unsealed ink capsules manufactured under normal or room temperature conditions will leak, if stored in a warm place, because of the corresponding increase in pressure in the ink container. For the same reason, there is a tendency for excess flow of ink through the wick when these devices are in operation in areas near heat generating parts of a printer or other machine which, of course, is objectionable since the ink usually spreads over the exterior of the capsule, gets on the machine, and invariably on the hands and clothing of the machine attendant who cleans the capsule or replaces it.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ink capsule of the applicator type in which the above mentioned objections are obviated.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an ink capsule of the applicator type in which excess flow of ink from the applicator end of the wick is circulated back to the capsule.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved cartridge type ink applicator which will not leak during shipping or storage and yet one which may be readily made operational.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive ink cartridge applicator of the above mentioned character and yet retain the above mentioned leakproof and operational advantages.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of my improved ink applicator;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the applicator operational;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional detail View;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a wick, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of a modification.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the ink applicator shown includes an ink capsule or container 10 and a wick 12. The ink container 10 is preferably a box-like structure having a bottom wall 14, side walls 16, and a top wall 18. As indicated in the drawing, the container 10 may be made of a suitable plastic material, preferably a clear or transparent plastic so that a visual inspection of the ink level will determine the need for replacement of the applicator. The top wall 18 of the container is separately made, as a cover, and secured and sealed to the upper edges of the container walls by a suitable cement, such as a resin cement after, of course, the container proper is partially filled with ink to a predetermined level allowing for ice volumetric expansion of the ink in response to increase in temperature.

Formed integral with the top of the cover 18, adjacent one side edge thereof, there is a wick holder 20 in the form of a tubular member which is open to the interior of the container 10 to receive an upper end portion 22 of the wick 12. The upper end portion of the wick 12 is displaced by forcing it into the holder 20 and thus is frictionally held in place by the wick holder 20, the upper end of the wick projecting above the upper end of the holder for contact with an ink distributing roller 24. Preferably, the upper end of the wick 22 is of reduced width, providing shoulders 25 that function as stops to limit upward movement of the wick. Downward movement of the wick 12 is prevented by the container 10. To accomplish this, the length of the wick portion from the shoulders 25 to the lower end of the wick is made sufiiciently greater than the depth of the container 10, and a lower end portion of the wick is displaced or bent laterally such that the lower end thereof abuts the container at the junction of the bottom wall 14 and an adjacent one of the side walls 16, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Further in accordance with the invention, I provide a tubular member 26 around the wick holder 20 in spaced relation thereto, and close and seal the upper end of the tubular member 26 with a readily removable clo sure member or plug 28. In addition to cooperating with the plug 28 to enclose the upper end of the wick from atmosphere, the tubular member 26 provides a well 30 to receive ink which may overflow at the upper end of the wick in the event that the capsule is subjected to high temperatures. In the bottom of the well 30, a drain-vent aperture 32 is provided which normally functions as an air vent to facilitate capillary action through the wick 12, but also functions to drain any overflow of ink from the wick, back into the container 10, both when the applicator is in storage and in use.

The plug 28 is preferably made of a resilient material, such as rubber, or rubberized material, or a resilient plastic material that is displaceable by and when the plug is forced into the neck of the well so as to form a leak-proof joint therebetween. The plug 28 is tubular in cross section to provide a deep clearance recess 29 for receiving the upper end of the wick and Wick holder 20, the walls of the recess being spaced from the holder and wick to provide an expansion chamber 29 to receive a limited amount of ink in the event of a volumetric expansion of the ink in excess of the volumetric capacity of the container 10. A head 34 on the plug 28 provides a shoulder 36 which seats against the rim of the well to form a tight joint therewith. The shank of the plug 20 includes a portion 38, at the head 34, of uniform diameter to fit tightly into the upper end of the well 30 and a conical pilot portion 40. Thus, it will be appreciated that the plug 20, in sealing the upper end of the well 39, seals off both the wick 12 and the drain-vent aperture 32 from atmosphere. Also, it will be appreciated that the applicator is readily made operational by simply Withdrawing the plug 20 from the well. This not only exposes the wick 12, but also establishes communication between atmosphere and the interior of the container via the drain-vent aperture in the bottom of the well to facilitate capillary action at the wick. In the event of an unusual increase in pressure in the container 10 as might occur if the applicator is stored in a high temperature area or mounted near heat generating parts of a machine, any resultant excess flow of ink from the top of wick 12 will be caught by the well 30 and returned to the container by way of the drain-vent aperture 32.

Referring now to the modification in FIG. 6, the modification is similar to the above described ink applicator and therefore like parts have been designated by like reference characters. The modification differs from the preferred embodiment in that a displaceable gasket 42 is provided between the shoulder as of the plug 24) and the rim or" the well 36 to effect a tight seal therebetween. Also, the shank of the plug 20 is made of suflicient length so that its lower end will seat at the bottom of the well over and close the drain-vent 32. Thusin the modification leakage of ink is opposed by the lower end of the plug 20, the tightly fitting shank portion 38 and by the gasket 42.

What is claimed is:

1. An ink applicator comprising an ink container having a cover sealed thereto, an upstanding external tubular holder integral with said cover and in communication with said container, a wick within said container having a lower end held by said container against move-.

ment and an upper reduced end portion projecting through said holder with shoulders of the Wick formed by the reduced portion engaging the underside of. the cover, upstanding tubular Wall means integral with said cover and extending around said holder to form an ink overflow Well having a drain-vent aperture in communication with said container and located in a portion of the cover between the tubular holder and the tubular wall means, and a readily removable plug force fitted into said well and having a first sealing portion abutting the upper end of said upstanding tubular wall means and another sealing portionspaced from said first sealing portion and seating on the cover over the drain vent aperture, said plug closing said drain vent to atmosphere and providing at least two seals for the ink over flow Well.

2. An ink applicator comprising an ink container having a top wall, upstanding cylindrical wall means integrally formed on said top wall and cooperating therewith to form externally of said container a cylindrical well having an upper rim, the bottom wall of said well having a drain-vent establishing communication between said Well and said container, a tubular wick holder integrally formed and extending upwardly from the bottom Wall of said well and in communication with said container, a wick in the ink in said container and extend- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,947,730 Mosfelt et al. Feb. 20, 1934 2,523,879 Rosenthal Sept. 26, 1950 2,910,960 Markes Nov. 3, 1959 3,035,542 Rosenthal May 22, 1962 

1. AN INK APPLICATOR COMPRISING AN INK CONTAINER HAVING A COVER SEALED THERETO, AN UPSTANDING EXTERNAL TUBULAR HOLDER INTEGRAL WITH SAID COVER AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CONTAINER, A WICK WITHIN SAID CONTAINER HAVING A LOWER END HELD BY SAID CONTAINER AGAINST MOVEMENT AND AN UPPER REDUCED END PORTION PROJECTING THROUGH SAID HOLDER WITH SHOULDERS OF THE WICK FORMED BY THE REDUCED PORTION ENGAGING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE COVER, UPSTANDING TUBULAR WALL MEANS INTEGRAL WITH SAID COVER AND EXTENDING AROUND SAID HOLDER TO FORM AN INK OVERFLOW WELL HAVING A DRAIN-VENT APERATURE IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CONTAINER AND LOCATED IN A PORTION OF THE COVER BETWEEN THE TUBULAR HOLDER AND THE TUBULAR WALL MEANS, AND A READILY REMOVABLE PLUG FORCE FITTED INTO SAID WELL AND HAVING A FIRST SEALING PORTION ABUTTING THE UPPER END OF SAID UPSTANDING TUBULAR WALL MEANS AND ANOTHER SEALING PORTION SPACED FROM SAID FIRST SEALING PORTION AND SEATING ON THE COVER OVER THE DRAIN VENT APERTURE, SAID PLUG CLOSING SAID DRAIN VENT TO ATMOSPHERE AND PROVIDING AT LEAST TWO SEALS FOR THE INK OVER FLOW WELL. 